# @msujschool on Facebook

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.facebook.com/1588490806402984/posts/10156453303133666
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/68589866-msujschool-facebook
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/fec9269c68.jpg
- **Posted:** 2019-04-26T16:07:11.000+00:00

## Caption

It is #Five4Friday time...on the last day of regular classes of the 2018-19 school year!
 
M.L. Elrick
 
B.A. 1990 
Investigative reporter, WJBK Fox2 
Pulitzer Prize & Emmy Award winner
ComArtSci Board Member
Podcast: www.mlsoulofdetroit.com
 
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Long before I got here, Fox 2 Detroit branded its special projects unit as "The Problem Solvers." For me, that's more than just a marketing gimmick. I appreciate the challenge of trying to find out what went wrong, who is responsible, and what should be done about it. As the station's investigative reporter, I have the opportunity to practice what I believe is journalism's highest calling: Watchdog reporting.  
 
Q: How did your experience at the J-School prepare you for your career?
A: I was able to make valuable contacts and learn the fundamentals of my craft at the J-School. Professors who forced us to get out of the classroom to report or photograph news events, take ride-alongs - or any other assignment that gave us an opportunity to try out what we were taught -A:  both stimulated me and reinforced my belief that I was in the right field. And more than one professor passed along a piece of wisdom that I use or share with others to this day. 
 
Q: What excites you about the future of journalism?
A: While there is uncertainty, there is also great opportunity. When I graduated, our options were to work for a newspaper, television or radio station, magazine, wire service or trade publication. Now you can start your own publication with just a smartphone! I am also gratified to see that even as news organizations make cutbacks, they seem more committed than ever to investigative journalism - which is one of the most time-consuming and expensive endeavors in our business.
 
Q: What do you do to keep yourself connected to the Spartan community?
A: I am a member of the Communication Arts and Sciences alumni board, but even before I joined the board, I accepted every invitation to speak to students, host job shadows, consult on stories and share advice and offer encouragement. I am also an active participation in the mentorship program and help raise money for student scholarships and other worthy endeavors. I also have season tickets for football, come to basketball and hockey games, and attend plays involving my daughter, who is a sophomore.

Q: Today is the last day of classes! What advice do you have for our students preparing for their final exams?
A: Prepare, do your best, but when they're over, don't sweat it. Grades are important, but what you take away from a class -- what you learned -- is way more important than your final grade. When I teach, effort and participation are two important elements of the grades I hand out. I also look for progress, so if you started the semester bombing, but the light goes on and your work improves, I give greater weight to the most recent assignments. Hey, I got a D+ in investigative reporting but that didn't stop me from helping put a mayor in prison, improving access to public records and even prompting an amendment to the state constitution! A boss at my first job -- a small daily paper in New Hampshire -- once called me "an impatient man playing a patient game" because I came wanting to leave quickly but stayed for several years because there was so much opportunity to do challenging work. I believe that everyone ends up where they're supposed to be, but almost never on their timetable, and the destination may change after you set out on the journey. Seek out new experiences and avoid getting too comfortable. Growth comes from seeking new challenges. Stagnation is death.

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## Tags

five4friday

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